Save a Life Recovery Walk to raise awareness in Downtown Logan

Participants of the recovery walk for Save a Life Day 2022 carried a banner through Downtown Logan to generate community awareness towards recovery.

Shana Nelson | WVOW News

LOGAN The Save a Life Recovery Walk is being held Thursday, September 25 on Dingess Street in Downtown Logan. The event starts at 5 PM, with the walk beginning at 7 PM. 

Attendees can enjoy recovery resources, music, food, guest speakers, a cornhole tournament, games, giveaways, and more. The event is being held in conjunction with Save a Life Day. 

Peer recovery support specialists Barb Ellis and Aaron Blankenship spoke with Aaron Stone on "What's Your Opinion?" on Monday

Peer recovery support specialists Barb Ellis and Aaron Blankenship joined WVOW's Aaron Stone on Monday’s episode of “What’s Your Opinion?” to talk about the event and the importance of community support.

Ellis, a Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist from Mountain Laurel Integrated Healthcare, said that the walk is meant to not only support recovery and raise awareness, but also to uplift and educate families or friends of those in recovery and bring the community together as a whole.

“We encourage people, people in recovery or if you support somebody in recovery, come walk with us,” Ellis said. 

From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Thursday, multiple locations around the community will be set up with tables giving out information, recovery resources, Narcan, and training on how to use it. In addition, these locations can help community members find resources for issues such as food disparities or housing. 

These resources will be available at: Mountain Laurel Integrated Healthcare, OVP Health, the Logan Court House, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, the Logan County Recovery Center on Dingess Street, Dollar Tree at Fountain Place, Dollar General in Huff Creek, Towne N' Country Foodland in Chapmanville, and Kroger in Mount Gay. 

Both Ellis and Blankenship emphasized the importance of life-saving interventions such as Narcan despite any controversy or social stigma that may surround it. 

Luminary bags lined the streets of Downtown Logan for the 2022 Recovery Walk in memory of those who lost their lives to addiction.

“As long as there’s breath, there’s hope. As long as someone is breathing, there’s hope for a better tomorrow,” Blankenship added.

The event is in conjunction with the Recovery Group of Southern West Virginia, Marjorie Oakley Home for Women, and New Beginnings Home for Men.

Blankenship, who is a Peer Recovery Support Specialist and Team Leader for the PRSS Team at West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network said that his own time at New Beginnings was life changing. 

“It really helped me to kind of gather myself enough to where I could be a successful launch into our community and then start to give back to our community in the capacity that I have,” Blankenship explained. 

No pre-registration is required for the Save a Life Day Recovery Walk. $20 shirts will be available for purchase. For more information and resources, call the Recovery Group of Southern West Virginia at 304-687-7903.

PHOTOS | WVOW News